Arngrove Northern League
19 January 2008
Three points but only one goal
by Ken Milgate

Durham City 1
Richardson 17

Shildon 0

With both Whitley Bay and Consett on FA Vase duty, City took full advantage and opened up a healthy 7-point lead; however, a single-goal victory was a sparse return for so many clear-cut chances.

Shildon registered the first meaningful attack, and only a saving tackle by Richard Smith robbed Adam Emson in the box; for City, Adam Johnston easily dispossessed his marker and set Steven Richardson away, but Andrew Spence was quick to spot the danger and came out smartly to smother the through ball.

As city upped the tempo, Johnston headed over a Stephen Capper left-wing cross before Richardson’s lob from a Keith Graydon feed landed on the roof of the net.

On 17minutes City’s attacking domination paid off: Ian Davison bravely won the ball in a determined challenge to set up Capper whose left-wing cross was dispatched by Richardson at the back post.

Just before the half hour Lewis Dodds replaced the injured John Toft, after which Calvin Smith went close with a deflected thirty-yarder and Andy Bowes forced Spence into an excellent reflex save from a Johnson right-wing cross.

Richardson headed straight at Spence from a Capper cross two minutes before the break and Johnston stroked a Dodds pass against the foot of the far post in first-half stoppage time.

City took a good ten minutes to get into the game after the break before Dodds bent a left-foot drive wide of the far post after a lay-off from Johnston in the box.

Johnston and Richardson combined well in the box on 65minutes only for Spence to deny the latter with a point-blank save.

The one-goal advantage was looking a tenuous lead as Shildon pushed forward on the counter, but their attacks were largely ponderous and snuffed out by a resolute back line.

In the final ten minutes Graydon chipped a free-kick over the bar and Dion Raitt spooned over the woodwork. 

The match ended in City’s favour as Graham Stobbs came on as a tactical substitution for Richardson and Calvin Smith was floored in the act of shooting on the edge of the box.

For Shildon, Stuart Nivens silky passes deserved more from his colleagues, while Richard Smith edged out a raft of eye-catching performances in City colours.

While points in the bag cannot be denied, City would be well advised to sharpen their finishing as goal difference might yet be a deciding factor in the end-of-season honours.

Durham City – Mohan, Harrison, Davison, Smith (C), Bowes, Smith (R), Toft (Dodds 28), Graydon, Richardson (Stobbs 88), Johnston, Capper

Subs not used – Caffry, Bell, Pitt

Man-of-the-match – Richard Smith

Shildon – Spence, Howarth (Ord 46), Ankers, Clarke, Hutton, Mason, Rait, Jury (Mendum 75), Emson (Masters 46), Gredziak, Niven

Man-of-the-match – Stuart Niven